Ruger Precision Rifle in 6mm Creedmoor

Ruger continues with that tradition with its Gen 2 Ruger Precision rifle. In its original configuration Ruger offered the RPR chambered in 308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor. Ruger continues to offer these two basic calibers but now offers the RPR in the low cost 223 Rem. and the hotrod caliber 6mm Creedmoor. For this review we will take a look at the RPR in 6mm Creedmoor.-

The 6mm Creedmoor is the brainchild of George Gardner, owner and master gunsmith at G.A Precision. The 6mm Creedmoor is a necked down 6.5 Creedmoor and is both efficient with powder usage and accurate. The caliber drives the long high ballistic coefficient 6mm bullets at high velocity making it an ideal caliber for long range shooting, as it has a reputation for “bucking the wind.” The only downside is that blazing speed comes at a price of burning barrels out faster than lower velocity calibers like the 6.5 Creedmoor or the 308 Win. Luckily with the ease of barrel changes of the RPR, which well discuss a little later, this is not so much a concern.

All RPRs share their basic configuration of an “upper” receiver or action and lower receiver made up of two half shelves. The upper receiver and one-piece bolt are both precision CNC-machined from pre-hardened 4140 chrome-moly steel to minimize distortion and ensure accuracy. The full diameter bolt body is a three lug design but features a 70° throw. At 70° the bolt throw is shorter than the quintessential 90° throw found on most precision rifles such as the Remington 700. Shorter bolt throws allow the shooter to cycle the bolt faster but come at the cost of increased force required to the actuate the bolt throw. Ruger addressed this by utilizing a unique dual cocking cam system. This allows the bolt throw to remain smooth and similar to the force required of a traditional 90° bolt throw. The bolt comes standard with a threaded handle and an oversized bolt handle for better grip by the shooter. The threading on the bolt handle is 5/16"-24 thread for easy replacement with the many aftermarket options that are available. A bolt disassembly tool is included and stored in the bolt shroud for easy striker channel cleaning, even in the field.

Fastened to the upper receiver is a 20 moa Picatinny rail secured to the action with four #8-40 screws. Many rifle manufactures still use the #6 screws for scope rails but the #8’s have a greater diameter, meaning that their stronger and more durable. Considering that the scope rail is the interface between your sighting system and the rifle, it is important that the rail is properly affixed to ensure that the zero of the rifle does not wander during use.

The lower receivers are two half sections machined from 7075-T6 aluminum and are Type III hard coat anodized, which is the same as the military standard for aluminum anodizing of M4 carbine receivers or other AR based platforms in military service. Within the lower is Ruger’s Marksman Adjustable™ trigger. This trigger has a trigger safety similar to the Savage rifle triggers. It is externally adjustable single stage trigger with a pull weight range of 2.25 to 5.0 lbs. While the trigger is decent, there are aftermarket options from other manufactures such as world renowned Timney. If I were to add this rifle to my personal inventory the trigger would likely be the first item to be replaced.

The magazine well has a forward flaring to use as a hook when barricade shooting or shooting off other improvised firing positions. While most shooters don’t often shoot off barricades they are prevalent in precision rifle competition. It is nice to see Ruger taking insight from the competitive community when they designed the RPR. Another unique feature of the RPR is that the magazine well is capable of accepting either AICS magazines, the gold standard in the precision rifle world, and Magpul’s SR-25/308 magazines. Before the RPR shooters typically choose between the two, but with the RPR shooters have the flexibility to use either. Lastly the lower is compatible with AR-15 grip modules and safety selectors, giving shooters a mountain of options to customize the rifle to the shooters preference.

The stock is of Ruger’s own design and it is known as the Precision MSR stock. Length of pull and comb height are adjustable, and the stock has several QD sling attachment points. A bottom Picatinny rail is included in the design if a monopod is desired to be mounted. The stock is mounted to the rifle by an AR-style buffer tube that mates to a stout left folding hinge. The hinge locks in both the open and closed position and the lockup is good. Because the stock uses the same mounting format as an AR-15, any AR15 stock can be mounted, but given the range of adjustability in the MSR there is really no reason to change it unless your looking for a different aesthetic look. Another benefit of the stock configuration is that like an AR-15 the recoil forces are transmitted in a straight line to the shooters shoulder, making recoil management easier.

The barrel is a medium contour cold hammer-forged 4140 chrome-moly steel barrel with 5R Rifling. Reports from the filed show that RPR are shooting sub MOA and even some that are under ½ MOA. The Ruger Short Action Handguard surrounds the barrel and leaves substantial room for mounting a large objective scope. It is fairly evident that Ruger designed these rifles with shooters and tinkers in mind. The barrel is mounted with a double barrel nut, one to mount the barrel the second to mount the handguard. The handguard barrel nut is the same as an AR-15 so like the other customizable features, if you don’t like the stock handguard, you can install any other AR-15 handguard. (Though some handguards with anti-rotation tabs will not work without modification). With the barrel mounted by a barrel nut, with a vice, headspace gauges, and a barrel nut wrench, barrel swaps can occur in the garage, without incurring expensive gunsmith fees or the downtime with sending a rifle in for re-barrel. In terms of barrel replacements there is at least one well know gunsmith currently producing precision pre-fit barrels if your looking to squeeze every bit of accuracy from the system as possible or looking to build a switch barrel system.

Overall this rifle is fantastic and packs a ton of features for a reasonable price. The Ruger Precision rifle is a great starter rifle for competition or for just shooting long range without breaking the bank. At Oakland Tactical we carry many quality precision rifles including the Ruger Precision rifle in 6mm Creedmoor. Make sure to check our website often as our inventory is always changes.

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